The misc.fitness.weights FAQ Table of Contents

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Certainly. Entire body workouts usually make the most efficient use of
time. Of course, there is no reason you can't work different muscle groups
on different days. However, a beginner is less likely to overtrain any
individual body part if they're working the entire body in one workout.

Some suggest only one exercise per muscle group. Others prefer to do 4 or 5
different exercises for a single muscle group. Keep in mind that too much
enthusiasm for the weights will often lead to overtraining, so moderation
is key until you discover what works best for your body.

Some suggest that once the muscles are thoroughly warm (after performing a
couple of light-weight warmup sets) you should do one all out set to
failure. Others suggest that you should perform 2 to 4 working sets to
failure for each exercise.

Almost everyone can agree that if you end up doing 30 sets for any
individual body part, you are definitely overtraining (assuming that you
take these sets to failure) or just wasting your time (assuming you don't
take these sets to failure).

When warming up you should be able to complete more than 12 repetitions
with ease. On sets that are taken to failure you should fail at some number
less than 12 receptions and greater than 5 repetitions. If you can do more
than 12 repetitions on your working set, then the weight should be
increased. Remember, there are two components to building mass - the load
placed on the muscle and the time under tension.

On the other hand, as Andy Austin used to say, "lots of muscle has been
built with singles all the way to 100 rep schemes."

Some beginners make fine progress training the entire body three times a
week, a Mon, Wed and Fri routine, for example. Other beginners require more
recuperation time and make gains training the entire body only once per
week. People differ and so do individual muscle groups. Some muscles can be
trained more frequently than others. Find a routine that is comfortable for
you and allows you to make progress. If you aren't making any progress
consider the possibility that you are overtraining (quite common) or even
undertraining (less common).

Initially, no. The most important thing for a beginner is to learn proper
lifting technique. However, the basic principle of getting larger through
weightlifting is progressive overload. You must increase the weight (load)
so that the muscle will be forced to adapt to the increase in stress.
Bouncing and moving the weight too quickly will not stress your muscles
into growing and it will likely stress your joints unnecessarily. Remember,
that for bodybuilders, the goal is not to lift the weight. Weightlifting,
for bodybuilders, is merely a method to stress the muscles. A bodybuilder
should work the muscle, or muscle group that the exercise focuses on, not
try to heave the weight up by any means possible. There is a difference
between lifting a weight and working a muscle, although it basically comes
down to using proper form and technique. For example, if your lower back
becomes stressed from doing biceps curls, you should consider paying more
attention to working the biceps, not trying to get too much weight up by
throwing out your back.

Comparing yourself to other lifters is also unnecessary. Everyone starts at
a different level.

These exercises are considered the best because they are compound movements
that involve moving a lot of weight while recruiting many different muscle
groups. These are the types of exercises that will make you grow, not
concentration movements.

High Intensity Training. This is a training method which believes in
minimizing the sets per exercise. No warm-up sets are done with the belief
that the first few reps of the exercise is sufficient. Each set is done at
very high intensity to complete failure.

In a typical HIT workout, 15-20 different single set exercises may be done
in the space of 1 hour hitting the entire body with around 2 mins rest
between sets. A 'HIT Jedi' does not believe in split routines where
different bodyparts are trained on different days (which allows more time
per bodypart). Amongst other benefits, HIT training is a very time
efficient way of training.

Periodization is a training method where over a series of weeks the number
of reps is dropped and the weights increased. The idea behind this is to
shock the muscles into growth by varying the reps & weights.

Part of the theory of periodization revolves around the idea that a person
can't always train with 100% intensity and that the body may actually need
some periods of lighter weight, variable rep training to allow for
recuperation. In addition, periodization is based on the idea that not all
muscle fiber types can be trained with the same rep schemes. Many
powerlifters follow some form of periodization to peak for a competition.

A hardgainer (HG) is someone who has a genetic make-up which does not allow
him/her to pack on muscle quickly. These type of people typically do not
respond large volumes and frequency of training. It has been estimated that
60%-95% of the population are hardgainers.

HG routines use low volumes and frequencies of training. A HG routine will
usually train each bodypart no more than once per week. Compound movements
(like squats and deadlifts) are favoured over isolation movements (like leg
extensions or hamstring curls). Hardgainers are prone to overtraining when
using high volume/frequency workouts, hence the general rule of thumb is
'less is more'.

There's a profusion of muscle/exercise/health magazines out there and they often seem
to contradict each other or even themselves from issue to issue. The one thing they do
have in common, however, is that they put well-built guys with defined abs on their covers,
usually with scantily-clad (though, in most cases, not visibly muscular) women hanging off of them.

...which should be your first clue that magazines are, first and foremost, in the business of
making money, and that means selling issues and supporting their advertisers and owners.

Just in case you didn't already know this, many, if not most, muscle/exercise/health magazines are
owned by companies that make supplements and often gym apparel and home exercise
equipment as well. Even apart from who owns them, the fact is that advertising sales to
supplement companies are where most of their revenues come from; the price on the cover
that you pay is just an added bonus. That doesn't mean that what they print is wrong, but it
does tell you on what side their bread is buttered. For example:

Experimental and Applied
Sciences (EAS) owns:

Muscle Media

MuscleTech
(Robert Kennedy) owns:

Musclemag International

Oxygen

Twin Laboratories(TwinLab) owns:

Muscular Development

Weider owns:

Fit Pregnancy

Flex

Muscle and Fitness

Muscle and Fitness Hers

Natural Health

Shape

You can expect to find taking (or at least purchasing) supplements given emphasis above and
beyond their importance in training, and the coverage in the articles and news briefs is likely
to be slanted towards whatever products are in the parent company's lineup.

The other notable caveat about training articles is that many of the routines given would push
you well beyond overtraining if you followed them. With an article on training your upper body,
legs, or a full-body training regimen, that won't always be the case, but every magazine has to
run at least one article every six months on Blasting Your Biceps Beyond Belief and, sad to say, the
biceps just aren't that big, and they get worked in a lot of other exercises already
(pulldowns, chinups, rows, as examples).

But if you're going to write an article on battering your biceps until they're begging for mercy,
you have to come up with more than a few simple exercises to write about, especially if you
want to work in a bunch of cool-looking pics of biceps exercises and poses.

Think of "muscle magazines" as decent sources of pictures and inspiration, but keep their
editorial biases in mind when you read them.

You should work out exactly as described above with one exception: once
your muscles are as toned as you want them, stop increasing the amount of
weight. Performing sets of endless repetitions with extremely light weight
is a waste of time. It will not make you more toned. There are only two
reasons to perform more than 12 repetitions in a set: 1) you really like to
warm up thoroughly or 2) you really like the feel of the pump after a
high-rep set. High repetitions will not lead to toning, or hypertrophy for
that matter.

Getting big is extremely difficult, especially for women. Most men and
99.9% of all women do not have the capacity to get large. If, after two
years of lifting weights intensely, you become too large, you are either a
genetic freak or on drugs. So many lifters want to be big and so few ever
achieve it because it is so difficult. Do not worry about getting too
large. Lift weights to strengthen your muscles, this will improve their
tone. High repetitions will only increase the amount of time, possibly
indefinitely, required to achieve your goal of being toned. Lift hard, and
once you are toned, then stop increasing the weights. In addition, fat
hides muscle tone. Many people can look toned just by dropping some body
fat (see Is weightlifting important to fat loss?). RR

Squatting is one of the most productive if not the best exercises out there
(it's called the King of Exercises by many). It is one of the most
difficult to learn as well. If you are new to this exercise, please take
several training sessions practicing with an empty bar or broomstick (you
can do some additional work on the leg press if needed). It's very
important to get your technique down cold while the weights are still
light. Your small errors with small weights will turn into BIG errors with
big weights. Much of the bad press the squat has received in the media is a
result of improper technique and not the exercise itself. Red flags you may
encounter will be pointed out and hopefully how to avoid them.

The first thing to discuss is not foot position or width of stance, but
proper trunk position. Pretend you are a soldier and the meanest, ugliest
sergeant ever just told you "TEN-HUT!" You would automatically
straighten
up and pull your head and shoulders back. This is the proper position of
the spine for the squat. IOW, your head is pulled back; your chest is
raised; and you have a slight arch in your lower back. At no time during
the squat should you bend over at the low back or look down. Of course you
have to bend over at the hip (more on that later). You should not look up
either. OK, so you got that down?

Now, the best way to do squats is in a power rack or cage (a large
rectangular rack with cross-drilled holes) so you can adjust the pins where
if you have to bale, you can set the bar down without any harm. Set the
pins to just below the depth you are going. They also serve as a visual cue
for depth and if you go down/up crooked. Place the J hooks or posts that
hold the bar for you to get under at the level of your nipple or so. Try to
unrack it once to see if it's at the right height The bar should have a
knurled area in the middle (if it doesn't, find another bar or another gym)
so it will not slide down your back. Many people use towels or padding
under the bar. Others (including me) feel this leads to some instability
because the weight is "teeter tottering" on a small area on your
back. If
the bar is hurting you either need to add some trapezius mass, place the
bar a little further down your back (it should be just above or below the
sharp ridge on your scapula (shoulder blade), buy a Manta Ray, or tolerate
it because it's part of the game. The Ray helps to spread the load across
the shoulder, but it doesn't fit everyone well.

Now step up to the bar. Place your hands about the same width as a bench
press (unless you are doing the shoulder breaker wide-grip variety) and
make sure you are even on the bar before unracking. Take a deep breath,
step under the bar and unrack it Most squat injuries (according to Fred
Hatfield) occur during the back up. Only take enough steps that you can
clear the j-hooks or posts on the descent. Place your feet shoulder width
or slightly farther apart. Think if you suspended a line from the ceiling
it would brush against your medial delt and hit you in the ankle. Use the
"practice" sessions to get a width that fits you. You might say many
powerlifters squat with a wide-stance and they are pretty strong as a
group. I'll agree wholeheartedly, but I'll also point out that the
conventional squat is prob'ly more productive because you are working
through a larger Range Of Motion. Learn this way and then learn the
variations if you like. After you have the width right, turn your feet out
at roughly a 45 degree angle. Adjust the width if need be. Now you are
ready to squat.

Take a deep breath, contract your abs and descend. It should feel like you
are sitting back on a chair behind you; not going straight down. Keep your
knees in line with your feet. DO NOT LET YOUR KNEES BOW IN anytime during
the lift! (I have a Grade 1 knee sprain (MCL) from doing just this.) Keep
the load light enough so you won't do this and gradually build up. Many
people say to try to keep your shin at a 90 degree angle to the ground.
This is impossible with the regular stance squat and is only possible by a
few using the wide-stance variety. Try to keep your knees from going out
past your toes. Alter the width if need be. Most people can and should
descend till their thighs are parallel to the ground. This is actually
pretty low. A very small majority of people can't and may be better
stopping just above parallel. Don't give up on reaching parallel too quick.
Also, to go even close to parallel, you have to bend over at the hip (not
the spine, of course). However, you should always be more upright than bent
over. Two methods of determining your shin/back position and depth is to
either have an attentive and adept person monitor you from the side and/or
use a video camera placed to the side and close enough to determine all
angles. After you have descended to the bottom position, reverse your
direction immediately (don't bounce at the bottom) and drive upwards. Try
and pull your back up (hip extension) as hard as possible during the
ascent. Brooks Kubik describes this "as if a giant gorilla had a hold of
your ass and your shoulder and was trying to straighten you out." Come back
to a standing position, take a breath or two (or many 8^) and descend
again. Make each rep it's own little lift. IOW, make each one count even on
your warm-ups. If you maintain good form in your warm-ups, you'll likely
retain it for the work sets.

Should you wear a belt or knee wraps? The former helps to stabilize the
spine by increasing intra-abdominal pressure and the latter is just a way
of elevating more weight. Especially if you are getting started with the
squat, go without either. Use your abdomen as the brace instead of outside
help. The knee wraps serve no use except to the powerlifter who wants a
bigger max. They may impede the growth of structures around the knee or
even cause some harm if used chronically.

The main reason the power rack gathers dust while there is a line for the
angled leg press is because squats HURT! It doesn't matter whether it's the
skinny beginner using the "big wheels" on each side for the first
time or
the bonafide 600+ squatter stepping under an already bending bar. They both
feel some pain when doing this exercise. Learn to live with it! The most
productive exercises are the most painful. It's a fact of life. If you
squat with proper technique and heavy (for you) poundage, you might grunt,
scream, cry, hurl and/or pass out, but you prob'ly won't be injured and
you'll make terrific headway towards your goals. Learn to be aggressive and
focus your complete attention on the task at hand. Good luck and happy
training!

One of the most productive, but least seen exercises in the gym is the
deadlift. From a technique point of view, it's a relatively simple one
compared to the squat. You just stand up holding a barbell in front of you
without humping your back. That's a brief, but concise explanation.
However, most people are scared of the deadlift because they think it will
pull, strain, or break their back. When performed in good form, however,
the deadlift is one of the best erector (the muscles of the spine) and
total body exercises around.

First, learn to set up your spine and shoulder girdle as described in the
"How to Squat" section. Suffice to say, you should pull your
shoulders back
and keep them there. Additionally, you should NEVER let your back hump over
at any time during the lift. Load a barbell on the floor to the desired
poundage. Make sure the area around you is free of potential troubles and
the floor is not slippery. If you don't have the required strength to use
45 lb. plates on each side of the barbell, elevate the bar to mimic the
height as if you were using the 45s.

Walk up and place your feet slightly narrower than shoulder width apart
with your shin almost brushing the bar. Point your toes out at an angle
slightly. Reach down and grasp the bar with an overhand grip just outside
your legs. Contract your abs hard, make sure your back is flat (actually
with a natural arch), and pull the bar up. Be sure to keep the bar as close
to your body as possible as you stand up.

The angle to which your hip and knee joints go to is an individual matter.
Length of bones and your flexibility will determine this. You should always
attempt to remain more upright than bent over. When you pull the bar, make
sure your hip joint straightens at the same rate as your knee. Don't
straighten your knees and then try to straighten your hips. You'll hurt
yourself. Also, don't lean back at the top.

After you've stood up with the weight, take a breath, contract your abs and
slowly descend in the reverse manner you came up. Do NOT bounce the barbell
on the floor. After the plates touch the floor, take a breath (or many!),
contract your abs and flatten your back, and pull again. Make each rep its
own little lift. Practice the mvmt with light weight till you get it down
before moving up in weight.

The first muscles to usually fatigue during the lift are those associated
with gripping the bar which are mostly located in the forearm. Most people
will tell you to use an mixed grip (one palm forward, one palm back). This
can create some torque imbalances that may give you problems later.
Especially when you are starting out, keep to the pronated or hands-over
grip and let your grip muscles catch up. If you must use the mixed grip,
alternate which palm is forward each set or each session. The least
attractive option is to use straps. Straps take the work off of the grip
muscles and arguably make the deadlift less productive. Use chalk if it is
feasible to help hold the bar.

As in the squat, some people can't truly descend to the bottom position in
the deadlift safely. Don't give up very quickly on making this low spot. If
you can't, don't despair. Place some pins in the power rack to where when
you place the barbell on them it's just above where it would be on the
floor. Try out the mvmt. Elevate the pins till it feels right. If this
doesn't help or having to pull the bar that's out in front of you gives
your back fits, you might want to give a Gerard trap bar a try. This is a
diamond shaped bar that you stand inside of and deadlift. The line of force
is through you instead of out front. This makes for a more safe and
therefore productive exercise than the regular version. You can have a look
at the Gerard trap bar at .

As in the squat, the deadlift is a very productive and, hence brutal
exercise. Don't be scared of it, though. Tall and lanky people who usually
have great trouble squatting or benching can usually move up quickly in
poundages in the deadlift. This exercise is more than just a back exercise
or a "thickening" exercise, it's a total body exercise. Too much in
weight
training is put into isolation. The big movements ARE the most productive.
The deadlift works you from finger to neck to toe. Treat it with respect
and it will help you realize your goals quicker than without it. Good luck
and happy training!

gwailoh@start.com.au (gwailoh) wrote:
>
>i'm finding it awkward to get get in and out of position, unless i
>just let the DB's drop to the ground. Makes it hard to take a rest
>between sets, and feels dangerous.
>
>What do you guys do? Is there a sequence of movements that makes it
>easier to lift & maneouver the weights until you are in position? or
>what?

Unless the dumbbells are extremely heavy, start by standing with them
resting against the front of your thighs, sit on the bench, then lie
down and "kick" them up into position onto your chest. After the last
rep, lower them close to your waist and reverse the process.

If the dumbbells are too heavy for that, there are a couple of other
things you can try:

Use weight for resistance. 100 reps of any exercise is a waste of time.
Crunches are good because they focus on the abs. I view crunches as an
isolation movement. Compound movements are usually better, so I actually
recommend sit ups (especially incline) with weight held on the chest. Yes,
sit ups work the hip flexors and other muscles as well, but these muscles
are critical to movements like the squat, deadlift and other serious
compound movements. Who wants weak hip flexors anyway?

The High-Intensity Abdominal Workout:

For those who are obsessed with their abdominal muscles, are willing to
spare no expense to develop them, and want a hard-core, high-intensity,
low-repetition abdominal workout, there IS an answer.

The primary problem with this method is the fact that the required
equipment is [a] rather expensive, and [b] since the late 1980s, rather
difficult to find. You will need an "inversion table" with
"gravity boots."
For those unfamiliar with such devices, a brief explanation is in order.
"Gravity boots" are padded, metal collars which are clamped onto your
ankles and which have a strong metal hook that protrudes from the front,
directly over the foot. An "inversion table" is designed for use with
gravity boots. It is like a vertical army cot with two bars spanning the
foot end, one below the feet, and one above the feet. It is attached to a
stand by a single pivot hinge on each side. After fitting the gravity
boots, you step onto the inversion table with your feet on the lowest bar
and the hooks of the boots locked beneath the upper bar. Then, you simply
throw your weight backwards, causing the table to pivot approximately 180
degrees on its hinges, leaving you suspended by your ankles, completely
upside-down. Please note that a good inversion table will pivot beyond
perpendicular, breaking contact with all parts of your body other than your
ankles; some of them will not reach full perpendicular, leaving you mostly
inverted but still laying on the surface of the table. The latter is not
well suited to this type of exercise.

Once inverted, you can perform a normal "crunch" routine. The complete
inversion of your body will provide extreme resistance which will result in
the much-desired abdominal "burn" long before the number of
repetitions
required when doing crunches on the floor or on a slant board. However, a
few suggestions on technique will be helpful:

(1) Do NOT hold your hands behind your head; clasp them across your chest.
Your neck should be held in a relaxed position, with your head back,
"pulling" yourself forward with your shoulders, not your head. When
you
find yourself able to do more than 20 repetitions, you may clasp a weight
plate to your chest to add resistance, increasing the size of the plate
each time you can exceed 20 repetitions.

(2) Although it will be slightly difficult, bending slightly at the knees
will decrease stress on your back. However, even with your legs fully
extended, you will find that the usual back stress experienced during
traditional crunches is almost non-existent when performing "inverted"
crunches.

Aside from the increased resistance in using this abdominal workout, there
are a few other advantages:

(1) No "tailbone rash." The usual abrasion caused by constant
friction on
the sacral spine area during traditional crunches no longer exists. Your
back does not contact any solid surface; therefore, no friction.

(2) No "head banging." There is no solid surface to come into contact
with
your head, either. That is why you can easily hold your head back during
this routine without worrying about striking it on the floor and without
the need to support it in any way.

Everyone has a six-pack of abs. The ability to see them is completely
dependent upon body fat levels. If you want to show off a washboard
stomach, then drop the body fat. Spot reduction is a myth. Hundreds of
situps or crunches will not "bring out" the abs if they're covered in
fat.

If you want to increase the strength of your abdominals (and every lifter
should), then perform abdominal exercises with WEIGHT. 100 reps of any
exercise is a waste of time.

Shrugs should be performed in a straight up and down motion. Keep the head
in an upright position, looking straight ahead, not at the floor, not at
the ceiling.

Rolling the shoulders does not stress the traps any better. In fact, it may
be harmful. Rowing movements can effectively work the traps when the
shoulders are pulled backward. However, rowing movements call for moving
the weight perpendicular to the body in order to stress these muscles
during this movement. During shrugs the weight is not in a position to
provide resistance against a backward movement. Therefore, a shrug should
be done straight up and down.

Barbells or dumbbells can be used, although dumbbells provide for a more
natural shrug.

In a word, NO! Everyone from Peewee Herman to Ahnuld has their own
individual genetic shape. You can't change it. This extends to the shape of
the muscle bellies as well. Some people have very long and flat muscle
bellies and some have peaky, short muscles. Most people are somewhere in
between. The biceps brachii is a two headed muscle that runs from the
shoulder to across the elbow. It functions to supinate and flex the
forearm. The 2 heads run parallel to each other and it's debatable whether
one exercise will target one over the other when sufficient weight is used.
You can't preferentially contract one area of a bicep head over the other,
either. The innervation of a muscle (or muscle head in this case) is made
so that if one motor unit (motor neuron and the muscle fibers it
innervates) fires you'll get a very weak contraction all over the whole
muscle. As more motor units are called into play the weak contractions (all
over, of course) summate and you get a strong contraction.

Also, you can't stretch one part of a muscle over any other part because
you either move the muscle attachments closer together or farther apart.
So, what do you do? You just merely focus on making your arms larger:
increase the size of the muscles. This will give you the illusion of having
peakier or longer biceps. Doing the "mass" or big movements will go
longer
to giving you big arms than endless sets of curls. Also, you're going to
have to increase your bodyweight significantly to make any real gains in
bicep mass. It's much easier to put an inch on your arms when you've put on
20 lbs of muscle.

Yes. Muscle is what moves us and it's something we all lose as we age. The
loss begins about age 25 resulting in about a 10% loss by age 50. Between
the ages of 50 and 80, people lose about half their strength and about 40%
of their muscle. The exact mechanism causing this change is unknown, but it
is thought that it is related to altered interactions between muscle cells
and motor nerves.

Muscle loss leads to a lower metabolic rate and, thus, weight gain unless
Calorie intake is reduced (which rarely happens). Age associated muscle
wasting can lead to a number of problems where older people may not have
the strength to lift loads, rise from a chair, or carry out the daily
activities required for independent living.

Weight lifting or resistance training can actually prevent this muscle
loss. So far, strength training is the only method shown effective at
slowing this loss of muscle. Aerobic exercise does not stem muscle loss.
Physiologists indicate that, ideally, a person would begin weight training
before age 50 (those of us at mfw would suggest by age 20). The benefits
are not restricted to older members of society. Interestingly, studies have
shown that 87 year old men and women experienced a 90% increase in strength
over a 10 week period of resistance training. If you have high blood
pressure, diabetes, heart pains or any heart or circulatory condition, it
is essential to check with your physician before beginning.

Strength training has been shown to increase bone-density in
post-menopausal women, helping to prevent bone fractures. In addition,
weightlifting can improve neural control of muscles which can prevent the
types of accidents that often cause bone fractures in the elderly.

In addition, weightlifting can contribute greatly to the control of body
fat. Therefore, weightlifting can be very beneficial for those who have a
tendency towards obesity. As more studies are done, more and more
beneficial effects of weightlifting are becoming evident.

Yes. studies have consistently shown that a weightlifting program will increase bone
density and strength, and that training with greater intensity and heavier weights will
do so more than training with lower intensity and lighter weights. These benefits have
been seen regardless of the ages, sexes, and prior levels of training:

On the occasion of a recent Junior World Championship we measured, by single photon absorptiometry,
BMC (Bone Mineral Content) in 59 young competitive male athletes (aged 15 to 20 years) from 14 countries. [...]
Our results suggest that junior competitive weightlifters have an increased BMC,
well above the age-matched controls' mean. It seems that the vigorous exercise of weightlifters tends
to fade out any race or age-related BMC differences.

Both aerobic and resistance training exercise can provide weight-bearing stimulus to bone,
yet research indicates that resistance training may have a more profound site specific effect
than aerobic exercise. Over the past 10 years, nearly two dozen cross-sectional and longitudinal
studies have shown a direct and positive relationship between the effects of resistance training
and bone density.

While the aminotransferases are often referred to as liver enzymes, these
enzymes are actually found in numerous tissues and their numbers often
increase from exercise-induced trauma.

These numbers are a good marker for people who drink alcohol constantly, or
consume oral anabolic steroids. If the numbers are 100 times higher than
the normal range in the aforementioned people, there's a good chance their
livers are hurting.

Very important. First, cardiovascular conditioning is very important for
health, but bodybuilders rely on it to help shed fat so they can show off
the physiques they have built. Some argue that they burn enough calories
from intense weight workouts, making cardio unnecessary. While this may be
true for people with fast metabolisms, it is not true for a large
percentage of the population. Recent studies have found that long duration,
repetitive use of muscles (like biking, rowing, skiing or jogging for 10
minutes or longer) causes changes in gene expression that greatly increase
the quantity of certain proteins within these exercised cells (mainly slow
twitch fibers). These proteins not only have the potential to lead to
better health, but they can greatly enhance the fat burning done by these
muscle cells. To turn your body into a blast furnace, do some cardio
exercise regularly. In addition, regular cardio work may also provide for
better blood flow to muscle cells, which may provide for better lifting in
the gym.

Powerlifters who are unconcerned with the health benefits of cardiovascular
exercise may still need to do some regular cardiovascular exercise. Too
much cardio work would be absolutely detrimental to their goal. However,
insufficient cardio exercise may limit their potential as a powerlifter.

Cardiovascular exercise before lifting weights can serve as a very good
warmup. Unfortunately, this may leave you too fatigued to give intense
effort to the weight workout.

Weightlifting before cardiovascular exercise may help the body go into "fat
burning" mode faster because the weightlifting depletes glycogen stores.
Unfortunately, after lifting a person may be too tired to have an effective
cardiovascular workout.

The general consensus is that, for general fitness, it doesn't matter what
order you do your exercise. However, strength athletes should prioritize
the weightlifting first, performing the cardio later.

This is very difficult. It can be done in some unique circumstances, but
for the most part it isn't possible. For example, novice lifters can
sometimes gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. Also, people returning
from long layoffs can sometimes add muscle and lose fat at the same time.
However, experienced lifters who are working out consistently can't do both
at the same time. If you want to do both, you should choose one goal
(either fat loss or muscle gain) and work towards that goal for a few
months. After some success towards that goal, you should then change over
and try to accomplish the other for a few months. Be single-minded in your
focus towards that goal. When trying to lose fat, you should be unconcerned
if you lose a little muscle as well. Likewise, if you're trying to add
muscle, you should allow the addition of a small amount of fat.

No, this can't be done. Most dieters will lose 1 pound of muscle for every
3 pounds of fat lost. Steroid-aided athletes can only take this ratio up to
about 1:8. Muscle loss when dieting is inevitable. Try to minimize it, but
focus on the goal of fat loss.

Yes, it is possible. Gaining strength without gaining muscle mass is common
in novice lifters and people who are returning from long lay-offs. Older
lifters can sometimes improve strength through improvements in lifting
technique.

However, once these avenues have been exhausted, the only way to improve
strength is through and increase in mass.

No. This is why so many bodybuilders, appropriately, train to get stronger.
If you get stronger, you will get larger. This doesn't automatically mean,
that when comparing to different individuals, the larger person is
stronger. It simply means that if you take your existing muscle mass and
then increase it, it will necessarily be stronger.

In response to this question, Fred Hatfield once said "just lift the damn
weights!"

There are three macronutrients (food consumed in large amounts to meet
energy and other physiological requirements) that you must consume daily:
protein, carbohydrate and fat. Bodybuilders often focus on protein (which
is the largest constituent of muscle cells after water) because, after all,
"you are what you eat." However, the most critical factor for weight
gain
is total Calorie (one Calorie = one kilocalorie) intake.

Those attempting to add muscle to their frames should consume at least 15
to 20 times their body weight (in pounds - kg x 2.2) in Calories per day.
25 times your body weight should be the upper limit in Calories consumed
for weight gain diets, but these are usually for steroid-assisted athletes.

Approximately 15 to 20% of those Calories should come from protein.
Bodybuilders are rarely deficient in protein. Common sources of protein
include milk, eggs, red meat, chicken, beans, rice, pasta and nuts.

Approximately 60 to 65% of those Calories should come from carbohydrates.
The healthiest diets usually involve a wide variety of carbohydrate sources
starting with vegetables and fruits. Other sources of carbs include rice,
pasta, baked potatoes, oats and breads. These are common carbohydrates
consumed on weight-gain diets.

Someone trying to lose body fat should consume between 10 and 15 times
their body weight in Calories per day. A common goal is to consume about
250 Calories fewer than you would normally require, and exercise to burn
off an extra 250 Calories. At this Calorie deficit of 500 Calories per day,
a person will lose about 1 pound of fat per week. A person should never
lose more than 2 pounds per week. The faster the weight is lost, the more
likely muscle will be lost instead of fat. Other health problems are also
associated with drastic weight loss.

Another, more precise method:

Estimate your BMR at 11 x bodyweight in pounds

Estimate maintenance Calories by multipling BMR by:

1.2 - for people confined to bed

1.3 - for sedentary people

1.5-1.75 - for normally active people

2.0 - for extremely active people

Consume 10% less Calories than maintenance.

[ William Lau ]

When it comes to dividing the calories between protein, carbohydrates, and fats, don't
start by figuring out the precise percentages (unless you're following
the Zone Diet), start with your body's nutritional requirements:

Keeping your protein intake at around 1 gram per
pound of bodyweight is even more important when dieting, and your caloric
deficit should come from reducing carb and/or fat intake, not protein
intake. There is no one caloric ratio you have to shoot for.

As others said, you need protein at ~1 g/lb lean body mass while dieting
(or massing). that's on an absolute scale, not a percentage scale.
whether that makes up 20% or 50% of your total calories will depend on
your total calories.

So protein gets set at that level regardless.
Then worry about the other numbers.
But just keep in mind that the percentages can be terribly misleading.

Carbohydrates are starches and sugars such as those found in bread, pasta, rice,
vegetables, fruits, non-diet soda pop, Twinkies, crackers, and breakfast cereals.
The traditional division between "simple" and "complex" carbohydrates is largely
meaningless and often misleading when compared to the body's own responses
to different kinds of foods. The Glycemic Index
of foods is a far more useful measure of their real-world effects.

Glycemic Index (GI) is a rating system for carbohydrates based on
how quickly the sugar enters the blood stream and the degree of insulin
response induced. GIs were initially established to help
diabetics regulate insulin levels following meals. Carbohydrate sources with
low GIs generally enter the blood stream slower or cause a smaller
insulin response. This can be beneficial for those trying to lose fat as
well as those who are diabetic.

Note that the Glycemic Index is measured for a standardized 100 gram sample
of a carbohydrate-rich food eaten in isolation and on an empty stomach. Consumption
of any carbohydrate-rich food along with proteins and/or fats will reduce its effective
Glycemic Index and any insulin "spike" induced.

Unfortunately, though the names have been changed, the foods that you'd always thought
were bad for your diet still are. Foods rich in sugars are particularly to be avoided, with
non-diet sodas and fruit juices sharing a particular talent for sneaking loads of calories past
the lips of the unwary dieter.

It is likely beneficial to consume multiple meals per day, like six, instead
of just three. One reason is that multiple meals will reduce the amount of
carbohydrate eaten at any one time, causing a smaller insulin response
at each meal and maintaining a more constant insulin level
throughout the day. Much evidence indicates that high insulin levels
encourages the storage of fat.

A dieter should consume about 20% of their Calories from fat. The primary
source of fat should be vegetable sources while minimizing the intake of
saturated fats from animal sources. There are essential fatty acids.
Linoleic acid is obtained from just about every source of vegetable fat.
Linolenic acid, and other omega-3 fatty acids, are more difficult to
obtain, but they are found in walnuts, flax seed, borage seed and some fish
oils.

Yes. As outlined above, a loss of muscle mass causes a decrease in
metabolic rate and subsequent weight (fat) gain. Inevitably, dieters
undergoing Calorie restriction will lose some of their muscle mass. This
loss of muscle will slow down the metabolic rate causing them to resort to
further Calorie decreases (or increases in physical activity) in order to
continue losing weight.

Weightlifting can actually prevent some of this muscle loss, and if new
muscle is added to your frame, you will actually burn more Calories when
you aren't even exercising (the other 23 hours in the day). Successful
weight loss requires permanent dietary and exercise changes, but the goal
of fat loss is more likely to be successful when weightlifting is combined
with proper diet and aerobic (cardiovascular) exercise.

Weight loss centers are usually viewed as a temporary fix and they rarely
contribute to long-term management of body fat. People will usually visit
the center for a while where their meals are controlled and they are
regularly weighed and measured for body fat. However, once the person stops
visiting the center, their eating patterns do not resemble the meals of the
controlled environments and people often lose motivation without the
regular weigh-ins to monitor their progress.

Some people find other types of diets useful. The isometric diet, by Dan
Duchaine, involves eating 1/3 of Calories from protein, 1/3 from fat and
1/3 from carbohydrates. On this diet, Dan also encourages the consumption
of low to moderate GI carbs.

The AD is a cyclical ketogenic diet which provides a way to gain muscle
whilst losing fat, sometimes at an astonishing rate. During the week no
carbs are ingested (less than 30g per day), fat and protein make up the
daily calories. On the weekends the diet switches over to a normal low fat
and very high carb regime.

The diet works in the following manner. In the absence of carbs (during the
week), the body switches to ketone bodies (from fat breakdown) for an
energy source - this is ketosis. Ketones have been shown to be protein
sparing. The high levels of ingested fats also trick the body into a faster
metabolic rate. On the weekends when huge amounts of insulin spiking carbs
are ingested, the body is put into a highly anabolic state. Fat spillover
is minimised due to the carb depleted muscles absorbing most of the excess
blood sugar. Hence, fat loss is maximised during the week with minimal
muscle loss and conversely on weekends muscle gain is maximised and any fat
spillover is minimised.

Weekday food choices include bacon and eggs, steak, salmon, full fat mayo,
cream, butter, sausages - you get the picture. A 1:2 protein to fat ratio
is recommended, hence the high fat content.

The zone diet, by Barry Sears, is an extremely Calorie restrictive diet
that involves maintaining a protein to carbohydrate ratio of 0.75 and
encourages the consumption of low glycemic index carbohydrates. In theory,
this type of diet should reduce the insulin response after meals containing
high-glycemic foods. Subsequently, Sears believes that this lower insulin
response should help reduce body fat.

A recent study found that after long-term (30 day) consumption of
low-glycemic foods, the body can alter insulin secretion to reflect values
similar to those observed following the consumption of high glycemic foods.

In addition, another study found that, despite decreased insulin secretion,
there was no significant fat loss above that observed in a high insulin
secretion group. There are problems with both of these studies, but they do
raise serious questions that have yet to be answered with respect to the
zone diet.

First, almost all studies examining the glycemic index of food have
followed the subjects for only a number of hours after the meal, or for
only a few days. Insulin responses have not been examined after
long-duration consumption of low glycemic index foods. This leaves the
question, will the body adapt, in the long run, to low glycemic diets by
secreting some predetermined genetic quantity of insulin?

Second, while insulin certainly encourages the storage of fat, one obvious
question remains. Can reducing insulin levels by changing to a low glycemic
index diet actually result in fat loss, independent of further Calorie
restriction?

In addition, weightlifters usually have some of the best glucose tolerance
and insulin sensitivity around, raising another question. Will this type of
diet be beneficial for weightlifting, or any, athletes? Due to the
extremely Calorie restrictive nature of this diet, I (RR) do not recommend
it for weightlifters trying to gain lean mass.

Those trying to lose fat may find the recommendations of the zone diet to
be very beneficial for fat loss. The basics of the diet revolve around
low-glycemic vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans and dairy products as food
sources containing the ideal carbohydrates. While all the claims have not
yet been born out by research, the Zone diet is a sound approach to
nutrition. RR

The Zone diet is from the book "The Zone" by Barry Sears. It is a low
Calorie, low saturated fat, moderate carbohydrate, moderate protein diet,
with 40% of the Calories from carbohydrates, 30% from (mainly
mono-unsaturated) fats, and 30% from protein. It is similar to Dan
Duchaine's IsoMetric Diet. Most people who have tried it report good
results at losing fat while preserving lean mass. People trying to gain
lean muscle have had more mixed results. Further information can be
obtained by going to http://www.cs.umass.edu/~swanzone.html and following
the links from there.

For weightlifters, 3 effects on the Zone diet are generally reported. 1)
You can't get a pump. 2) It takes a lot longer to recover between sets. 3)
You're a lot less sore the day after a workout.

Common wisdom is that the dietary
protein
requirements of athletes exceed that of sedentary individuals, but this topic
remains
a contentious one with a very wide range of recommendations and a few outspoken
individuals even going so far as to deny that athletes have any greater
requirement
at all or that increased protein consumption is harmful (see the following
section,
Is increased protein intake harmful?
). One of
the best-known researchers on the subject is Peter Lemon, who writes:

The debate regarding optimal protein/amino acid needs of strength athletes is
an old one. Recent evidence indicates that actual requirements are higher than
those of more sedentary individuals, although this is not widely recognized.
Some data even suggest that high protein/amino acid diets can enhance the
development of muscle mass and strength when combined with heavy resistance
exercise training. Novices may have higher needs than experienced strength
athletes, and substantial interindividual variability exists. Perhaps the most
important single factor determining absolute protein/amino acid need is the
adequacy of energy intake. Present data indicate that strength athletes should
consume approximately 12-15% of their daily total energy intake as protein, or
about 1.5-2.0 g protein/kg.d-1 (approximately 188-250% of the U.S. recommended
dietary allowance). Although routinely consumed by many strength athletes,
higher protein intakes have not been shown to be consistently effective and may
even be associated with some health risks.

In a word, no. Several studies have indeed shown that reduced protein intake
is beneficial for individuals suffering from kidney disorders, but this does not
imply that a diet high in protein is harmful for individuals with healthy,
functioning kidneys.

Increased protein intake does, however, also increase calcium excretion; this is
not generally a problem, because it can be compensated for by increased calcium
intake, either from food or from supplements. Many high-protein foods,
including
milk and cheese, contain more than enough calcium to compensate for any increase
in calcium excretion due to their protein content. Even if your diet is high in
protein but not high in calcium-rich foods, calcium supplements are widely and
cheaply available in pill form.

Carbohydrate
loading is the technique of depleting muscle
glycogen
stores, usually
through a combination of diet and exercise, followed by a period of
consuming a diet rich in high
glycemic index
carbohydrates. Muscle cells with depleted glycogen stores will take up and
store
carbohydrates from the bloodstream much more rapidly than undepleted cells and
if
glycogen stores are refilled rapidly, this "window" of increased uptake will
last
slightly longer than it takes to return glycogen stores to baseline levels,
leading
to more glycogen being stored in muscle tissue than would ordinarily. How much?
according to one study:

Human Performance Department, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego,
California 92186-5122, USA.
Several carbohydrate (CHO)-loading protocols have been used to achieve muscle
glycogen supercompensation and prolong endurance performance. This study
assessed the persistence of muscle glycogen supercompensation over the 3 days
after the supercompensation protocol. Trained male athletes completed a 6-day
CHO-loading protocol that included cycle ergometer exercise and dietary
manipulations. The 3-day depletion phase began with 115 min of cycling at 75%
peak oxygen uptake followed by 3 x 60-s sprints and included the subjects
consuming a low-CHO/high-protein/high-fat (10:41:49%) diet. Subjects cycled 40
min at the same intensity for the next 2 days. During the 3-day repletion
phase, subjects rested and consumed a high-CHO/low-protein/low-fat (85:08:07%)
diet, including a glucose-polymer beverage. A 3-day postloading phase followed,
which involved a moderately high CHO diet (60%) and no exercise. Glycogen
values for vastus lateralis biopsies at baseline and postloading days 1-3 were
408 +/- 168 (SD), 729 +/- 222, 648 +/- 186, and 714 +/- 196 mmol/kg dry wt,
respectively. The CHO-loading protocol increased muscle glycogen by 1.79 times
baseline, and muscle glycogen remained near this level during the 3-day
postloading period. Results indicate that supercompensated muscle glycogen
levels can be maintained for at least 3 days in a resting athlete when a
moderate-CHO diet is consumed.

Carbohydrate loading is potentially valuable to both the bodybuilder
and endurance athlete, by increasing muscle size and fullness and by
increasing intramuscular energy stores to be used in a subsequent
athletic event.
Because glycogen storage requires the simultaneous uptake of water by
muscle cells, carbohydrate loading also has the potential for drawing
in any excess extracellular water, which makes the skin appear thinner
and brings out muscular detail. Care must be taken to drink sufficient
fluids at any time when glycogen stores are being replenished, because
if too much water is taken up without adequate intake, electrolyte
imbalances and cramping may result.

You may be wondering how one can legally sell testosterone and how
homeopathic "testosterone" might be effective when taken orally, like
testosterone isn't. The secret lies in the basic principle of homeopathy,
which claims that the "essence" of a substance remains even when it is
diluted to the point that none of the substance in question actually
remains in the solution. As such, these are basically just particularly
expensive vials of distilled water and will do everything for you that
drinking a tiny vial of water would, thus getting around the legal and
biochemical limitations of actual testosterone.

I suspect it's much simpler. If you do exercises, with really heavy
weights, that stress the entire body, then the entire body grows to adapt
to that stress. You can do isolation/concentration movements 'til you're
blue in the face, but once you place a bar on your back (with some really
heavy weight on it) and squat down using every muscle in your body to
support that weight, then your body has a serious stress to adapt to. RR

I'm going to back this statement. This is the main reason any power lifter
does overloads. My PR in the squat is 525, so I put 600 on the bar and
simply hold it. In laymen's term's it's simply getting used to the weight.
That is my advice for powerlifters. For any other athlete, this advice may
be different. Train for what you do! Not for what increases limit strength.

Neither masturbation or sexual intercourse is likely to worsen
your athletic performance and recovery or lower testosterone levels.
Engaging is sex or masturbation *during* a lift could potentially
be dangerous and, in any case, you should always observe good gym
etiquette and clean up any equipment afterwards. If you do have
sex in the gym, be aware that other gym members may complain if
you haven't brought enough to share with them too.

J Endocrinol 1976 Sep;70(3):439-44
Endocrine effects of masturbation in men.
Purvis K, Landgren BM, Cekan Z, Diczfalusy E
The levels of pregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA), androstenedione,
testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), oestrone, oestradiol, cortisol and
luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured in the peripheral plasma of a group of
young, apparently healthy males before and after masturbation. The same
steroids were also determined in a control study, in which the psychological
antipation of masturbation was encouraged, but the physical act was not carried
out. The plasma levels of all steroids were significantly increased after
masturbation, whereas steroid levels remained unchanged in the control study.
The most marked changes after masturbation were observed in pregnenolone and
DHA levels. No alterations were observed in the plasma levels of LH. Both
before and after masturbation plasma levels of testosterone were significantly
correlated to those of DHT and oestradiol, but not to those of the other
steroids studied. On the other hand, cortisol levels were significantly
correlated to those of pregnenolone, DHA, androstenedione and oestrone.
In the same subjects, the levels of
pregnenolone, DHA, androstenedione, testosterone and DHT in seminal plasma were
also estimated; they were all significantly correlated to the levels of the
corresponding steroid in the systemic blood withdrawn both before and after
masturbation.

Psychosom Med 1999 May-Jun;61(3):280-9
Cardiovascular and endocrine alterations after masturbation-induced orgasm in
women.
Exton MS, Bindert A, Kruger T, Scheller F, Hartmann U, Schedlowski M,
Department of Medical Psychology, University Clinic Essen, Germany.
The present study investigated the cardiovascular, genital, and
endocrine changes in women after masturbation-induced orgasm.
Healthy women (N = 10) completed an experimental session, in which a
documentary film was observed for 20 minutes, followed by a pornographic film
for 20 minutes, and another documentary for an additional 20 minutes. Subjects
also participated in a control session, in which participants watched a
documentary film for 60 minutes. After subjects had watched the pornographic
film for 10 minutes in the experimental session, they were asked to masturbate
until orgasm. Cardiovascular (heart rate and blood pressure) and genital
(vaginal pulse amplitude) parameters were monitored continuously throughout
testing. Furthermore, blood was drawn continuously for analysis of plasma
concentrations of adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, prolactin, luteinizing
hormone (LH), beta-endorphin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone,
progesterone, and estradiol. RESULTS: Orgasm induced elevations in
cardiovascular parameters and levels of plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline.
Plasma prolactin substantially increased after orgasm, remained elevated over
the remainder of the session, and was still raised 60 minutes after sexual
arousal. In addition, sexual arousal also produced small increases in plasma LH
and testosterone concentrations. In contrast, plasma concentrations of
cortisol, FSH, beta-endorphin, progesterone, and estradiol were unaffected by
orgasm. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual arousal and orgasm produce a distinct pattern of
neuroendocrine alterations in women, primarily inducing a long-lasting
elevation in plasma prolactin concentrations. These results concur with those
observed in men, suggesting that prolactin is an endocrine marker of sexual
arousal and orgasm.

Steroids are a very large class of compounds which occur in all animals.
The steroids used by athletes are mostly androgenic steroids: steroids
which act like testosterone. The steroids used to treat inflammatory
disorders (e.g. prednisolone, cortisone, beclomethasone, budesonide,
dexamethasone and dozens of others) are corticosteroids and do not have
anabolic effects.

Testosterone in the male is produced mainly in the testis, a small amount
being produced in the adrenal. It is synthesized from cholesterol. The
regulation of its production may be simplified thus: the hypothalamus (part
of the brain) produces gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) which acts on
the anterior pituitary to increase the production of luteinizing hormone
(LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). LH acts on the Leydig cells in
the testis, causing them to produce testosterone. FSH, together with
testosterone act on the Sertoli cells in the testis to regulate the
production and maturation of spermatozoa. Testosterone in turn acts on the
hypothalamus and anterior pituitary to suppress the production of GnRH, FSH
and LH, producing a negative-feedback mechanism which keeps everything
well-regulated. The small amount produced in the adrenal (in both sexes) is
regulated by secretion of adrenal corticotrophic hormone (ACTH), also
secreted by the pituitary.

Testosterone, and its metabolites such as dihydrotestosterone, act in many
parts of the body, producing the secondary sexual characteristics of the
male: balding, facial and body hair, deep voice, greater muscle bulk,
thicker skin, and genital maturity. At puberty it produces acne, the growth
spurt and the enlargement of the penis and testes as well as causing the
fusion of the epiphyses (through its conversion to estrogen), bringing
growth in height to an end. It plays some role in maintaining the sexual
organs in the adult, but only a low concentration is required for this.

The normal production of testosterone in the adult male is 4 to 9mg per
day. The normal plasma concentration is 22.5nmol/l, of which 97% is protein
bound. Most is excreted in the urine as 17-ketosteroids, but a small amount
is converted to oestrogens.

Various analogs of testosterone are used in medical treatment of testicular
failure, hereditary angioedema, anemia, severe endometriosis and a few
other conditions. Testosterone itself is given by injection. Oral
preparations such as methyltestosterone, fluoxymesterone, mesterolone and
stanolone are sometimes used, but they cause substantially more liver
damage than injectable or rectally administered preparations because they
are absorbed from the gut and transported first to the liver (like most
things taken by mouth), where they reach quite high concentrations and are
extensively metabolized before circulating to the rest of the body.

Many other analogs have been developed with more anabolic effect than
testosterone. These include such famous names as stanozolol, nandrolone,
ethyloestrenol and oxymetholone. They all have substantially the same
effects as testosterone: retention of sodium, potassium, water, calcium,
sulfate, and phosphate, increased muscle synthesis in response to exercise
and possible increases in aggression and or libido.

They act on the hypothalamus and pituitary to suppress the production of
GnRH, FSH and LH, causing a virtual cessation in the production of natural
testosterone in the testes and also reducing or stopping the production of
spermatozoa. This effect does not always reverse when the artificial
androgens are stopped.

Cancers of the prostate are frequently dependent on testosterone (hence
their treatment by castration) and they may progress very rapidly in the
presence of high level of androgens.

A percentage of testosterone is converted to estrogen and some artificial
androgens have some estrogen effect as well, causing enlargement of the
breast tissue behind the nipple (gynaecomastia). This is occasionally seen
naturally in pubescent boys and a small percentage of the adult male
population. This effect may be reduced by drugs which inhibit the binding
of estrogen to its receptors: e.g. clomiphene, cyclofenil and tamoxifen or
drugs that block the enzyme, aromatase, that converts testosterone to
estrogen.

So are they safe? The approval and use of any drug is a matter of deciding
whether the therapeutic benefits from its use are worth the adverse
effects. No drug is safe; acetaminophen (paracetamol) causes some very
nasty fatal poisonings, aspirin causes rare cases of devastating skin
reactions. Problems occur with every pharmaceutical and it is usually dose
dependent. However, the concensus is that they save enough lives and
alleviate enough problems to more than compensate for the bad effects. In
therapeutic doses, steroids result in few side effects.

Androgenic steroids have a fairly limited use in medicine. They are
effective in males with testicular failure and are occasionally used in
osteoporosis and as an appetite stimulant in severely wasted patients. In
the past they were also used to treat anemia, however, more effective
treatements now exist for this disease. In these cases the benefits clearly
outweigh the risks for the patient. Using them for essentially cosmetic or
frivolous reasons doesn't produce much of value to compensate for the risks
associated with their abuse.

Using drugs under medical supervision doesn't make the drugs any safer, it
just gives a greater chance that the adverse effects may be picked up
sooner, and it decreases the chances that an abusive quantity will be used.

First, there are many different anabolic steroids and based on how the body
handles them, they have very different side effects. Some steroids have
virtually no side effects and to lump all anabolic steroids into one
category (in terms of benefit or harm) shows a lack of understanding with
respect to their pharmacological action.

In therapeutic doses, 100 mg deca-durabolin per week for example, very few
side effects are observed. Unfortunately, most athletes will not restrict
their use to therapeutic doses.

What happens when athletes take some of the harsher anabolic steroids in
abusive dosages? Numerous side effects can result while on steroids
including acne, increased sex drive, impotence, liver problems, aggression
and psychological dependence. Other side effects, including gynecomastia
(bitch tits), high blood pressure, other cardiovascular diseases, baldness,
stunted growth in adolescents, and enlargement of preexisting prostate
tumors can persist even after steroid use has stopped. Female steroid
users, in addition to the problems listed above, can have virilizing
(masculinizing) symptoms when using the harsher, androgenic compounds,
including amenorrhea (which is reversible), clitoral hypertrophy, deeper
voice, excessive growth of body hair, loss of scalp hair and alterations in
skin texture (which frequently aren't reversible). Not all of these
conditions are caused by all anabolic steroids. Some of the harsher
anabolic steroids will only cause these problems for a certain percentage
of the users, above certain dosages. Some of the milder anabolic steroids
cause almost none of these side effects. Therefore, it is a mistake to
state that all steroid users will come down with these side effects. Any
such silly statements will be readily flamed on m.f.w. Most of the side
effects of steroid use result from the conversion of testosterone to
estrogen or dihydrotestosterone. Some anabolic steroids do not undergo this
conversion. These steroids will have fewer side effects.

Commonly, guys will post a question to the group asking if they should be
concerned about side effects, like gyno, when taking 200 mg/week of
deca-durabolin. This demonstrates a lack of understanding with respect to
the side effects of anabolic steroids. This person should do more reading
on the subject before proceeding because deca undergoes very little
aromatization to estrogen, making the chances of gyno quite small,
especially at such a low dose.

A more valid question that is often asked is will 250 mg/week of
testosterone make nolvadex necessary during a cycle to prevent gyno.
Testosterone will convert to estrogen readily. However, gyno and many of
the side effects of testosterone, don't show up at such low doses. In fact,
testosterone has been shown to be relatively safe up to 600 mg/week FOR
SHORT DURATION USE! Those interested in this should read the July 4. 1996
issue of the New England Journal of Medicine regarding the harmful and
beneficial effects of testosterone.

For more information on specific steroids, their effects and side effects,
such books as the World Anabolic Review (800-294-6181) or the Anabolic
Reference Guide (800-615-8500) should be consulted.

No, anecdotal information is inadequate for drawing conclusions (see
question on scientific research). In addition, Lyle died of a rare form of
brain cancer that is only seen in patients with immunodeficiencies. This
does not indicate that Lyle was HIV positive. There are many causes of
immunodeficiencies. However, no other steroid user, who is immunocompetent,
has died from this same form of brain cancer, casting doubt on the
hypothesis that Lyle's steroid use caused his cancer or his death.

If you are under the age of 20 you shouldn't even consider the possibility.
Teenagers are already experiencing an anabolic spurt and the risks far
outweigh the benefit. Many anabolic steroids have the potential to stunt
your growth, so that is something every teenager should consider if they
have any expectation of becoming a professional athlete where short people
have a much lower probability of success.

If you live in the US, Canada or other countries where steroids are
strictly regulated, you should consider the consequences of breaking the
law.

If you have only been lifting weights for a few years, you should consider
that inexperienced weightlifters rarely show benefits from the use of
steroids.

If you think that you will only use the milder anabolic steroids, you
should consider that just about everyone who uses the more dangerous
steroids started out that way. Cycles of deca and primo turn into cycles of
anadrol and testosterone. These compounds can be psychologically addictive,
and the desire for more is a dangerous game.

If you think that you are capable of self-administering these compounds,
you should consider how much you really know about human physiology and
pharmacology. What would you do if you hit a nerve with your needle? What
would you do if you get an abscess or infection? How would you know if your
liver or kidneys were suffering? Is there a doctor around who can run blood
tests to monitor your health?

If you think that you can handle these drugs, you should really think about
what it will mean to come off cycle. How will you taper or ween yourself
off? The desire to stay on these compounds can be overwhelming. I know guys
who go on and never come off. The potential for damage from this practice
is astounding.

If you think that you want to start a cycle, you should consider what
exactly is your goal. At age 25 you may want to look better, but at age 35
or later you'll begin to become concerned about your health. Is the risk of
problems, such as cardiovascular disease, which take some time to develop
worth the risk, when your looks can improve dramatically through
weightlifting without anabolic steroids?

If you think you're ready, you should consider that many guys use steroids
and make very few muscle gains because the potential for using them
incorrectly is enormous. These people are increasing their chance of
suffering the side effects and they aren't even achieving the main effect
(putative benefit) because they don't know how to use them properly,
workout properly and eat properly. The potential errors that can be made
are extensive. See lists in the World Anabolic Review and the Anabolic
Reference Guide for common errors.

Once you have thought about all this and have extensive knowledge in this
area wait another year before beginning. This will allow you plenty of time
for more thought and it will demonstrate your dedication to the iron.
Decisions of this magnitude should not be made quickly. As I always tell a
pushy salesman, "if I have to decide today, the answer is no."

Self-administered steroids are rarely ever safe. In addition, black market
steroids can contain virtually any substance - it's like playing Russian
roulette. And, if you don't know which ones are safer than others, this
indicates you don't have enough information to begin a steroid cycle. You
must be well-educated in this area before you begin. Otherwise, it will be
very easy to make mistakes. Always consult your physician before adding any
drug to your system. Make sure that your physician monitors you while you
are on that drug.

Injectable steroids are far easier on the liver in general than oral
preparations. Of course, sterile technique and clean (new) needles and
syringes should be used for injection. Any injection carries the potential
risk of bacterial infection. Sharing needles can increase the risk of
spreading viruses including HIV, Hepatitis C and others. Fake steroids
often result in infection because the products are often made in a
non-sterile environment. It is also possible to cause an embolism from
inadvertent intravenous injection. In addition, it is possible to impale
the sciatic nerve during a gluteal injection which can be extremely
painful.

Some of the milder anabolic steroids include deca-durabolin, equipoise,
primobolan and oxandrolone. Some of the harsher anabolic steroids that
result in more harmful effects include testosterone esters, anadrol and
dianabol.

When considering dosage, most lifters base their dose on total mg/week.
Whether it is deca or test, the most important consideration is the total
mg/week. The question these users have to address is how much risk are they
willing to take? Obviously, the higher the dosage, the greater the risk
they're tkaing. In addition, these users often decrease their risk of
harmful effects by using a higher percentage of the milder anabolic
steroids listed above. Those users who choose to take a greater risk will
use a higher percentage of the harsher steroids listed above. For example,
some guys might choose to do 800 mg/week. If all of that 800 mg is test,
the risk of harmful effects is much greater than if these guys used 250 mg
test in conjunction with 550 mg of deca (which is a safer anabolic
steroid).

What dosage a user chooses is completely up to that individual and the risk
they're willing to take. However, they should recognize the risks
associated with various dosage levels. Many first time users try 200
mg/week. Many experienced users push 2000 mg/week (10 times more). Some
bodybuilders have been known to use 5000 mg/week, although this is
certainly a waste of the pharmaceuticals. Many first time users will notice
good gains between 200 and 400 mg/week. Experienced users often get good
gains between 600 and 800 mg/week. Unfortunately, harmful effects, such as
gyno, often show up when users take 750 mg/week or more (this does not mean
gyno will not show up at lower doses, just that it occurs with low
frequency at lower doses). So, many guys build great physiques, never
exceeding 700 mg/week. Of course, Dan Duchaine once said "you give a guy 2
grams of anything a week and he's going to grow."

For those who would like to understand more about steroids they should read
the following books: World Anabolic Review (800-294-6181) and Anabolic
Reference Guide (800-615-8500).

If you are looking to use steroids for athletic or aesthetic purposes,
doctors can not, and will not, prescribe them for you in the United States,
Canada and several other countries. 95% of the items on the black market
are fakes. Attempting to obtain steroids from someone you met on the net is
STUPID. They could be law enforcement looking to make a bust, or they will
simply take your money - they won't even waste time with a fake product.

People often obtain the drugs in countries where the regulations are not as
strict while visiting or through mail order. Others obtain them from
veterinary supply houses. Or they are obtained from that really big guy in
the gym. :->

Make sure that the substance in question doesn't have a picture in the
World Anabolic Review or the Anabolic Reference Guide. No serious steroid
user should be without at least one of these manuals. They provide pictures
of various real and fake steroids. If a picture of your steroid is in this
book, people will be frustrated with the question. In addition, these books
give several guidelines for determining if it's real. If it is not in this
book, you may ask the group. However, it is very difficult to answer these
types of questions without actually seeing the product and usually people
will only answer with the standard guidelines.

Do not use anabolics that aromatize or suppress endogenous testosterone for
a taper. Any substance that suppresses endogenous test production will be
very harsh for coming off cycle. A proper taper can help avoid
psychological addiction. Substances like deca-durabolin, equipoise,
laurabolin, primobolan and proviron are commonly used for tapering. The two
best compounds for tapering are probably primobolan and proviron.

Here is one way that people taper:
After all testosterones, dbols, anadrols and other harsh androgens clear
out their system, usually three or four weeks is sufficient - shorter time
periods are fine if the substance has a shorter half-life, begin HCG for
one or two weeks. They then follow the HCG with clomid (never the reverse)
for one or two weeks. The next week they begin use of primobolan (which
doesn't suppress the axis). After a couple weeks they drop the primo and
use clenbuterol for two weeks. Throughout the duration of the taper,
proviron is sometimes used because it is an anti-aromatase, an androgen,
and it doesn't suppress the axis. For more information see the World
Anabolic Review (800-294-6181) and Anabolic Reference Guide (800-615-8500).

No, it is very dangerous. When you decide to use small quantities of
steroids between cycles, you must recognize that you are not between
cycles. You have gone on steroids permanently. This is a very drastic move
and one that should not be contemplated lightly. Many pro bodybuilders go
on and stay on. Consider the serious health ramifications of this decision.

But, you say, you'll only do 50 or 100 mg of deca a week to bridge. This is
a mistake and a waste of juice and androgen receptors. This won't have too
many harmful effects associated, but this will prevent androgen receptors
from ever returning to normal levels. So, when a person decides to go back
"on-cycle", they get few benefits from the higher dose steroids
because
their receptors are still down-graded. At this point the person begins to
question if the steroids are real because they aren't seeing an effect.
Bridging is a demonstration of how steroids can be psychologically
addictive. Guys say they're off cycle, guys say they aren't psychologically
dependent, but they still have to take a shot every week.

Some of the guys who get the best gains from their cycles are the ones who
only do one 10 week cycle a year. The entire rest of the year their
training is causing an increase in androgen receptors. When they finally
hit these receptors with juice, they are primed for action.

Bridging is a mistake. It is far more detrimental to progress than people
believe. If a person decides that they are going to go on without coming
off, they will not get any benefit from bridging with small quantities.
Pros that go on and don't come off use serious quantities year round. Don't
risk your health by going on permanently. Some would argue that it is worth
the risk if the person could earn millions of dollars as a result of the
steroid use. These people are definitely not choosing bodybuilding as their
sport.

Moral arguments against the use of steroids usually fail miserably. One
assumption made in this argument is that everyone has a common morality
which is certainly false. Second, people often forget that even
over-the-counter drugs have harmful effects and that legal status is often
determined by political ideology, not by the safety of a drug. For example,
alcohol and nicotine both have inherent side effects, but their
overwhelming demand, and other historical reasons, have led to their
legality in a democratic society, not their relative safety.

Caution is always advised. Use any drug under the care of a qualified
physician. Advice on the net may come from an actual MD or a 13 year old
kid posing as a MD. Their writing can look quite similar when they both use
Times Roman, size 12, fonts.

Clen and Al are beta-adrenergic agonists,
like ephedrine, used for the treatment of asthma. However, they do not activate beta1 receptors
which are found on the heart. This alleviates the potential for rapid heart beats
and arrhythmia associated with ephedrine. Although many people report rapid
heart beats in the first couple of days of use.

On the other hand, both clen and al will activate beta2 receptors more
strongly than ephedrine resulting in more side effects and a greater
desensitization of receptors. In addition, the half-lives of these two
compounds are longer than ephedrine, especially clen which has a half-life
between 48 and 60 hours.

These beta agonists can aid in fat loss, however, there use should be kept
very short. In addition, these compounds are often used 2 days on, 2 days
off for a 2 week period followed by at least two weeks off the substance.
Clen is commonly taken between 60 and 120 mcgs in divided doses per day.
The potential for side effects is quite large. The side effects include
headaches, dizziness, tremors, nausea and insomnia. Long term use of these
substances could potentially result in chronic thyroid insufficiency. Clen
is not available in the US and albuterol is prescription only. And, no,
your albuterol INHALER will NOT help you lose fat. This is because the
inhaled drug will not act systemically. Albuterol does come in tabs, but
the inhaler version is much more common. Yes, clen comes in tablet, liquid
and powder forms.

Clomid causes a rise in LH Releasing Hormone (LHRH) meaning that it will
stimulate the endogenous production of LH. Therefore, it is useful alone
when coming off cycle (just as HCG is useful). Or, it is useful to follow
HCG treatment with clomid treatment (never the reverse). Clomid also has
some mild antiestrogenic properties.

As with HCG, the body will have to adjust to the absence of the exogenous
signal. Therefore, efficient tapers of cycles will follow clomid therapy
with primobolan, proviron or clenbuterol.

Cyclofenil is very similar to clomid, acting both as an antiestrogen and
gonadotropic stimulant.

Cytomel will also cause the loss of fat. It will also cause the loss of
muscle if you aren't simultaneously using steroids. Cytomel is the thyroid
hormone triiodothyronine (T3). Its immediate side effects are very similar
to those of clenbuterol listed above. Its use can result in chronic thyroid
insufficiency which will make you either obese or dependent upon the
substance for life. Competition bodybuilders regularly use this substance.
It would be interesting to find out how many bodybuilders who no longer
compete, yet require T3 because they have developed chronic thyroid
insufficiency. Cytomel is not something to play around with.

Cytadren is a cortisol blocker that actually blocks the conversion of
cholesterol to pregnenolone and should inhibit the synthesis of all
endogenous steroids, including testosterone. It is very useful for steroid
users tapering off cycle to block high cortisol levels (which may result
from the high androgen levels) as the body is fighting to get its own
testosterone levels back to normal. Cytadren has been blamed for some joint
problems. It is unknown if this claim is based on fact. In addition,
cytadren was blamed for Andreas Munzer's death. However, Andreas did not
have an autopsy and the exact cause of death is unknown.

2,4-Dinitrophenol makes the production of ATP less efficient causing a person
to burn more Calories. If you take too much (which is easy to do), DEATH
can result. The other side effects seem superfluous in light of this fact.
The effective dose and lethal dose are only separated by a factor of 6.
This is too close to play with. In addition, the effects tend to be
cumulative, so it's very easy to obtain a much higher effective
concentration in the body than the person realizes.

Diuretics are drugs that (normally) increase the amount of urine excreted
causing a person to become dehydrated. Bodybuilders often use diuretics
during competition to show off their muscles better. Diuretics can be quite
dangerous. They can cause electrolyte imbalances which can lead to death.
The death of Momo Benaziza is attributed to diuretic use. When used in
moderate quantities, they pose little harm. Diuretics can not make up for
poor dieting.

"The Food and Drug Administration, after receiving 6 reports of benign
intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri) in patients treated with
recombinant growth hormone, actively identified an additional 17 affected
patients in the United States or abroad. Benign intracranial hypertension
was also reported in three patients with resistance to growth hormone who
were treated with insulin-like growth factor I, the primary mediator of the
actions of growth hormone. ... Twenty-one patients had headaches or visual
changes, and all 23 patients had papilledema when first examined" [A].

In addition, the reports in the trenches are that growth hormone does not
add that much to a cycle. On the other hand, many people claim that they
had their best cycles while combining growth hormone with anabolic
steroids. The evidence just isn't in on this one yet. However, for the most
part, growth hormone results in a lower frequency of side effects than
anabolic steroids. Of course, this may be a function of the price and that
people can't afford enough GH to cause serious problems.

Human chorionic gonadotrophic hormone acts like Lutenizing Hormone (LH). In
men it stimulates the testes to produce testosterone. This is very useful
for steroid users who have shut down their endogenous production of
testosterone through their use of exogenous androgens. HCG should be used
for only 2 week periods with at least 4 weeks inbetween use.

Be aware that despite its usefulness, the body still has to adjust to the
absence of the exogenous LH (HCG) when coming off the HCG cycle. Other
compounds should be used at this time, like clomid, clenbuterol, proviron
or primobolan.

Some guys mention significant hair loss and gyno as common side effects
from use of HCG.

Too dangerous to even consider. Use only if your doctor informs you that
you are an insulin dependent diabetic. If you accidentally take too much,
it could kill you. Pro bodybuilders are using this, but this is unlikely to
be the explanation for extra gains. Insulin can easily make you fat. Stick
with anabolic steroids, they are known to work.

The following studies show that insulin does NOT stimulate protein
synthesis in vivo (in the body, as opposed to in a test tube). The
conclusion in #1 was that increased doses of insulin, aminos, or both do
not affect protein synthesis in the heart, and that the effects on skeletal
muscles were inconclusive. In #2 the conclusion was "insulin failed to
stimulate skeletal muscle and liver protein synthesis, even when major
plasma substrates (glucose, amino acids, and potassium) were replaced."

Insulin is anti-proteolytic and it decreases the concentration of IGFBP-1
in the blood [3]. IGFBP-1 inhibits the activity of IGF-1. Therefore it is
conceivable that insulin could be ergogenic in combination with other
substances. The main thing to remember is that while insulin may be
anabolic for fat, it is not anabolic for protein in vivo. It is only
anti-proteolytic.

IGF-1 is both myotrophic and neurotrophic as established by in vitro
studies. However, its effects on muscle mass in vivo are unknown. IGF-1 has
been shown to have similar effects as growth hormone in GH deficient
children. This has led some researchers to suspect that the actions of GH
are mediated by IGF-1. However, there are too many unknowns in this field
of research. It is extremely expensive as well. It is an unnecessary risk.
Stick with anabolic steroids (or drug-free training) because they're known
to work, and their harmful effects are well-understood. Word has it that
those who have used IGF-1 are dissatisfied with the results.

Nolvadex is an anti-estrogen used to slow the rate of growth of breast
cancer. Because of the action of aromatase converting testosterone to
estrogen in men, gynecomastia (bitch tits) can develop. Anti-estrogens can
help prevent the development of gynecomastia while a steroid user is on
cycle. Anit-estrogens can prevent the development of gyno, but they can't
make it go away. Some people claim that gyno reduces slightly when off
cycle, or when taking nolvadex.

In therapeutic doses in females, the incidence of nausea and vomiting is
around 25%.

MFW-FAQ Section XII
Personal Grooming

Shave! Many people have tried every product out there. They continue to
shave because nothing is more effective. A small percentage of people have
success with the no-shave products. If they don't work for you, or you
can't stand the smell, become intimate with your razor.

The short form: "just give your hands time to get used to lifting the weights."

Some people have tried using lifting gloves, but most people experience better
results from letting their hands get used to it. (On a personal note, I [Trygve] do
use lifting gloves when doing sumo-style deadlifts, not because of the bar, but
to protect the back of the supinated hand when it rubs against my thigh.)

"It will get easier, honest. Eventually you'll be wrapping your hands around
knurling that's like several rows of shark's teeth, and not even noticing.

"Grooming tip: buy a foot file, like a pumice stone or other rough file, and
use it to file your calluses every day in the shower. After the shower,
apply a heavy duty moisturizer. You'll still have the thickened skin to
protect your hands, but it'll be smooth and almost soft."

When Bill Phillips first started putting together educational materials
(and they were educational) for bodybuilders who was one of the first, very
honest, people in the business. His newsletter and books pointed out that
professional bodybuilders do use drugs, rather than hiding the fact as many
publications attempt to do. Bill brought honesty back to bodybuilding. He
recognized that steroids were used and that the claims for supplements were
rarely founded in fact. However, Bill's tactics began to change, presumably
as he recognized the potential for monetary return. He also began to hype
supplements claiming some were as good as steroids. Unfortunately, he was
doing the very thing he had previously exposed as, virtually, fraudulent -
making false claims with respect to products that will earn him money. In
addition, Bill began claiming that certain athletes are 100% drug free,
when, in fact, these athletes had used steroids in the past. Granted, they
may have ridded their bodies of exogenous steroids, but the long-term
effects of these hormones can provide benefit for some time after their use
has stopped. For this reason, many people view his 100% drug free claims as
misleading as well. People began disliking what Bill has become compared to
what he once was. Some still argue that his magazine is one of the better
ones around. At least he still recognizes that pro athletes use drugs and
he encourages natural lifters to choose natural role models.

Furthermore, a few people in mfw have been paid by Bill, or his
enterprises, as employees in the past. Some worked as freelance writers
while another worked with the supplement company. Some of these people left
Bill's employment dissatisfied with the circumstances. Some believe they
were treated unfairly by Bill or his associates.

One way or another, Bill was once highly respected and now he is viewed on
a similar level with the majority of magazine publishers who are supplement
pushers. Some people on mfw do not hold this opinion and they still believe
that Bill's publication is one of the best bodybuilding mags around.

When anyone makes a claim about anything (whether it be the alien-driven
spacecraft that landed on their front lawn, or the latest miracle
muscle-building supplement) a very simple question can be asked. Is the
claim true or false?

How would a person go about verifying if a claim is either true or false?
Early philosophers liked to think about something (introspective method),
believing that logic could lead them to the truth. However, this often fell
short. The introspective method was improved upon by use of the
observational method. People would observe something closely and then make
conclusions about the truth or falsity of a claim. However, this method has
inadequacies as well.

These inadequacies were never more evident than with Hans the counting
horse. Yes, you could ask this horse to count to 5 and it would stamp its
hoof five times. You could tell it to multiply 5 and 5 and it would stamp
its hoof 25 times. The horse was amazingly accurate, even more so than some
schoolchildren. Scientists from all around came to observe Hans and his
counting abilities. They too were amazed when their mathematical questions
were readily answered by the horse. Hans would perform this incredible task
for just about anyone who would ask him a problem (not only could he count,
but he could understand language too!).

However, some more skeptical scientists had a hard time believing the
stories. So, they decided to determine if this claim was true or false.
They suspected that the horse was relying on some sort of signal from the
person asking the question. After all, the person asking the question
usually knew the answer. It turns out that Hans was responding to facial
and body cues given by the asker of the question (no small task of learning
in itself). When Hans could not see the person when he was counting out his
answer, he would get it wrong every time. In addition, if the person asking
the question did not know the answer, Hans would not come to the right
answer.

What does Hans the counting horse demonstrate? Hans shows how the
observational method can be very misleading. People were willing to
attribute his skill to a mental capacity that horses do not have. However,
Hans' skill lay in his ability to read people's reactions to his actions.
The people who observed Hans jumped to a false conclusion because many
things were happening at once. When there are multiple potential causes of
something, it is very difficult to differentiate which was responsible for
actually causing the event to occur. For this reason, it is very difficult
to distinguish which claims are true or false.

The scientific method works to distinguish truth from falsity and actual
causes from simple correlations. The scientific method is not always right,
it is sometimes inadequate and the people doing the investigations often
make mistakes. However, the inadequacies of the scientific method do not
negate it's usefulness. In addition, its inadequacies do not indicate that
the other methods - introspection and observation are necessarily better.
These other methods are simply more misleading than the scientific method.
The scientific method is the best method for understanding and describing
the world around us.

So, when Joe Bodybuilder takes supplement X and grows larger, he can't make
the conclusion that X made him grow larger. How did he know that his
training wasn't the cause? How did he know that his nutrition wasn't the
cause? Most importantly, how did he know that his belief in X wasn't the
cause? These questions can't be answered with anecdotal observations. And,
since one anecdotal observation is inadequate, multiple anecdotal
observations do not make the conclusion any more adequate, it's just
multiple inadequacies. For this reason the scientific method is critical
for unraveling the differences between a true and false claim.

That said, even scientific studies published in respectable, peer-reviewed
journals can be wrong. In fact, many studies turn out to be wrong.
Initially, research studies will show both sides of an issue to be true.
So, it's very easy to find scientific literature to support almost any
claim that you wish. However, the scientists conducting this research begin
to discuss the limitations of the methods they're using, they improve the
techniques and experimental design and eventually several well-done,
quality studies convince the scientists that they should agree with one
side over the other. How can you determine whether a study is of good or
poor quality? Well, this takes much practice at the task itself. However,
there are some basic guidelines or questions to ask. Does the study involve
fewer than 30 subjects per group? Studies with few subjects can easily
mislead because small samples often lead to strange, false results. Does
the study have an adequate control group? Were the experimental and control
groups similar enough at the start of the study? Were statistics performed
properly, or were they abused? What was the study really testing? Did it
test what the authors wanted to test, or did it miss the mark? Was the
study performed blindly, where the researchers and subjects did not know
the treatments. The list of questions and potential mistakes goes on and
on.

Now, think about all these mistakes that can be made which make a
scientific research study come to a false conclusion. If it is that
difficult for science to actually make a claim - AND HAVE IT BE TRUE -
think how much more difficult it is to make a claim and have it be true in
the absence of quality scientific evidence. The chance is very small. This
is why people often rely on the scientific method and a healthy skepticism
(which requires that someone have good evidence to state that something is
either true or false).

People make claims all the time that turn out to be false. Simply
considering these guidelines of how we know that something is true or false
can help you avoid making these same mistakes. This should also give huge
insight into the falsity of the advertising claims on bodybuilding
supplements. Most of the products include fantastic claims that have
absolutely no backing except the smiling face of a huge, juiced-up
bodybuilder. This can, in no way, constitute a true claim. On the other
hand, many companies are starting to test their products in scientific
labs. However, we must remember all the rules listed above for why a
research study can lead to a false conclusion. Just because a supplement
has a research study supporting it does not necessarily mean the claim is
true. Often, the researchers are funded by the supplement company and their
salaries are dependent upon positive results. Also, supplement companies
will often throw away those studies that don't support their claim. In
addition, basic errors can be made in the study which are difficult to
detect by the average person. It all boils down to the fact that it's very
difficult to make a claim and actually have quality evidence supporting the
contention. It requires a lot of hard work, honesty and impartiality.

Occasionally bodybuilders in the trenches will notice something that
science is not yet aware of. For years, many scientists doubted that
anabolic, androgenic steroids actually work. For political reasons some
medical representative organizations maintained a public position that
there was no evidence that AAS worked. However, the anecdotal evidence
indicated otherwise. Careful experimentation has since confirmed that
steroids do work. So, these other methods of obtaining knowledge aren't
worthless. In fact, we rely on the observational method daily. The key is
to pay attention to what the bodybuilders in the trenches are saying. If it
looks interesting, it should be examined and researched, not discarded
immediately. Most of these anecdotal findings turn out to be false, but
those that are true can often lead to exciting new ideas that scientists
hadn't even thought of. So, keep your eyes open as you lift hard, but
maintain an even skepticism to protect your pocketbook.